Sure it does.

 

I'm not a fighter guy, but they work just as close if not closer than us "HEAVY" drivers!! A formation is about getting a job done, the same as hauling trash or air refueling!

MHO

 

Absolutely does!

 

Then I suppose if that's the case, sitting in row 20B on somebody's RJ constitutes "flying with" somebody. Also, taking a Citabria up with somebody's Piper Cub and doing some formation is "flying with" somebody. What about being a crewmember "with" somebody at a regional and interacting with them in the lounge couple with being 4 in trail on final a hundred times with them...that too? Just curious.

 

Bring them in! Its YOUR credibility!

 

I don't think being part of a "four ship" constitues "flying with" somebody, does it?

What you don't seem to understand is when you "fly with" somebody in a "four ship" you don't do it just once. You do it countless times. You live with the person in the squadron. You get to see his/her character, how they lead and how they follow. If you haven't done it you can't understand.

 

I absolutely respect and admire what you are saying. Truly, I am not diminishing what you have done in the military. You in turn should recognize that when you spend year after year with fellow crewmembers at a regional airline, flying 7 legs a day in ALL kinds of weather, hand flown approaches to 200 and a half, 100 hrs a month, 1000 a year, FMS's, crappy airports with short runways and closed towers, drinking beer, hanging out......it deserves to be recognized one in the same as far as "EXPERIENCE" goes.

 

Mawk90,

I "flew with" Christ Strickland at Tyndall--that's the guy jumping out of the Viper in your avatar. I have had a long talk with him after the incident about what happened. I "flew with" T-bird 1, Spad McSpadden as well, who was the squadron commander at the time. I also flew with Spad's dad in a Navion formation of 13 this last weekend...even though he is all civilian he is also a very good pilot and a fine gentleman. So--I think I can say I've "flown with" several guys both in and out the same cockpit.

You are turning this thread into a mil verses civ rant when FECA8R is looking for constructive inputs. If you are going to sit here and crap on fighter pilots as not having had the credibility to judge whether or not flying together in combat and training makes for a good reference, could you at least have the decency to change your avatar to something you know something about?

PS--I'm the lowest Eagle in the picture--# 2 in Memorial Day fly-by. After the fly-by, digit 1 and I did several BFM engagements while 3 and 4 did the same thing. How close do I have to fly to someone to get an idea of how they fly, lead, and fight?

 

Yep, flying in a 4-ship formation does consitute flying with somebody in my book so I have to ditto Knight, JC, and Albeif and won't re-attack. I too am one of "those fighter guys" but have now also lived the part of a regional guy for a brief period before they went under after 9/11 and I got hired by FedEx.

I can say that I learned alot during my 8 months at Midway and it was a great experience and introduction to 121 flying.

Midway was mostly civilian -- most of my peers had 5, 6, or even 8000 hrs and were in their late 20's, early 30's. I had 2500 hrs but most of that was at the speed of stink. I met some incredible guys who I flew with who were furloughed or fired from Eastern, Braniff, or other unmentionables, etc.... some stories that make you cry and others that would make you laugh until you cry. I met guys that started flying commercially by "bombing" central American jungles with neutered fruit flies or worked their way up with CFI, CFII, charters, etc.... I learned ALOT from flying with these guys and I am grateful for the experience.

I would recommend anyone I FLEW WITH at Midway with only one or two exceptions. Same goes for my fighter squadrons. BTW, there are a few WSO's with civilian ratings who I would recommend ahead (SIC) of some of my USAF radiator grill buddies.

 

WSOs that go to regionals have HEART and APPRECIATION for what they have...generally speaking. Lucky enough to have helped a few of those guys prep for SWA and JB with good success. I concur with Magenta...